Journal of Production Engineering

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Vol. 29 No. 1 (2026)
Original Research Article

Multidimensional feasibility assessment of pico-scale hydropower technology deployment in water infrastructure

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  • Bjarnhedinn Gudlaugsson,
  • Bethany Marguerite Bronkema ,
  • Ivana Stepanovic ,
  • David C. Finger
Bjarnhedinn Gudlaugsson
Reykjavík University, Department of Engineering, Menntavegur 2, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland
Bethany Marguerite Bronkema
Reykjavík University, Department of Engineering, Menntavegur 2, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland
Ivana Stepanovic
Reykjavík University, Department of Engineering, Menntavegur 2, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland
David C. Finger
Reykjavík University, Department of Engineering, Menntavegur 2, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24867/JPE-2026-01-012

Published 2026-06-15

abstract views: 14 // FULL TEXT ARTICLE: 0


Keywords

  • Pico-scale hydropower,
  • Vortex-induced vibration,
  • Energy harvesting,
  • Feasibility assessment,
  • Water infrastructure

How to Cite

Gudlaugsson, B., Marguerite Bronkema , B., Stepanovic , I., & C. Finger , D. (2026). Multidimensional feasibility assessment of pico-scale hydropower technology deployment in water infrastructure. Journal of Production Engineering, 29(1), 12–20. https://doi.org/10.24867/JPE-2026-01-012

Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Production Engineering

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Pico-scale hydropower technologies based on vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting offer a promising solution for exploiting hidden energy potential in existing water infrastructure and powering low-power monitoring devices. However, their deployment requires a feasibility assessment that goes beyond technical and economic indicators and also includes environmental, risk-related and social aspects. This paper presents a multidimensional feasibility assessment framework for evaluating vortex-induced vibration energy harvesters in water distribution networks. The framework integrates technical, economic, environmental, risk and social-perspective assessment layers and is applied to a pilot case in Turkey. The results show that feasibility strongly depends on device design, hydraulic conditions and expected energy output. Mechanical power generation ranges from 2.7 W to 133 W, while the levelized cost of energy ranges from 11 to 1036 EUR/kWh. Environmental impacts vary from 0.012 to 1.16 kgCO₂eq/kWh. Although the technology is not yet economically competitive with conventional renewable energy systems, selected cases indicate potential for powering IoT-based monitoring devices and improving the resilience of water infrastructure.

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